Carlos Zambrano - Sports Library

Carlos Zambrano

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Carlos Zambrano
Chicago Cubs — No. 38
Starting Pitcher
Born: June 1 1981 (1981-06-01) (age 27)
Bats: Switch Throws: Right 
Major League Baseball debut
August 20, 2001 for the Chicago Cubs
Selected MLB statistics
(through April 2, 2007)
Wins-Loss     64 - 42
Earned Run Average     3.29
Strikeouts     865

Carlos Alberto Zambrano (born June 1, 1981 Puerto Cabello, Venezuela but raised in San Antonio de los Altos, Miranda State) is a right-handed starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who has played for the Chicago Cubs since 2001. He has emerged as one of the best starting pitchers in baseball and has been the Cubs' most reliable starter for the last few years. He is one of the few switch-hitting pitchers and is known for being a particularly strong hitting pitcher. His nickname is "Big Z."

Zambrano, a big, imposing figure at 6'5" and 255 pounds, was signed by the Cubs as an amateur free agent in 1997 and made his debut in 2001. After being used in both starting and relief duties, he enjoyed his first full season as a starter in 2003, finishing with a 13-11 record, 168 strikeouts and a 3.11 ERA. He was also a major contributor in the Cubs' run to the National League playoffs, in which they would come up five outs shy of the World Series, losing to the eventual world champion Florida Marlins.

Zambrano is noted for his vibrant personality on the mound. He allows his electric emotions to be readily evident, always indicating whether he is happy with his performance or not. Zambrano's pitches match this eclectic nature, as every pitch in his repertoire has significant movement. His pitches come out of a slinging, three-quarters to low three-quarters delivery. His main pitch is his hard, moving two-seam & four-seam fastball that clocks anywhere from 94-98 mph, but usually settles around 96 or 97 mph. Carlos has a devastating, heavy cannonball of a sinker that he loves to throw with a split grip, a pitch that usually winds up getting beaten into the ground by hitters - something of an advantage considering Wrigley Field and its tall, thick grass. He always makes sure to mix in plenty of sharp-breaking sliders & split-finger fastballs to keep hitters from sitting on his fastball. He has also developed a change-up that he throws mostly to left-handed batters. His main weakness is a lack of pinpoint control, leading to a tendency to surrender walks. Nevertheless, Zambrano seems to be hurt less by giving up walks than most pitchers, due to the fact that batters hit many more ground balls than fly balls against him. This can be attributed to the sinking movement of his fastball. He rarely surrenders home runs (65 in his career) and often induces double plays.

In 2004, Zambrano led his team in ERA (2.75, fourth in the league), won 16 games (tied with teammate Greg Maddux), collected 188 strikeouts, and led the league in hit batsmen (20). He also got his first All-Star berth.

Through March 29, 2006, Zambrano has posted a 64-42 record with 865 strikeouts and a 3.29 ERA in 977 innings. A switch-hitter, he hits well for a pitcher, either bunting or swinging away. He is a career .220 hitter with 10 home runs and 28 RBI, good numbers for a pitcher, especially in the power categories. He tied the club record for home runs by a pitcher in a single season after clubbing six round trippers in 2006. Ferguson Jenkins is the other Cub great who compiled six home runs in one season as a pitcher.

Zambrano is one of only two ballplayers who pitched in the NL in 2006 who won at least 13 games in each year from 2003-06, the other being Greg Maddux.

Is a Real Madrid supporter.

Contents

Professional Stats

MiLB Stats

+------+--------------+--------------------+-----+----+---+------+----+----+-------+-----+-----+----+------+-----+
| Year |    Team      |   League (Level)   | Age |  W | L |  ERA |  G | GS |   IP  |  H  |  K  | BB | WHIP | K/9 |
+------+--------------+--------------------+-----+----+---+------+----+----+-------+-----+-----+----+------+-----+
| 1998 | Arizona Cubs | Arizona (Rookie)   |  17 |  0 | 1 | 3.15 | 14 |  2 |  40.0 |  39 |  36 | 25 | 1.60 | 8.1 |
| 1999 | Lansing      | Midwest League A   |  18 | 13 | 7 | 4.17 | 27 | 24 | 153.1 | 150 |  98 | 62 | 1.38 | 5.7 |
| 2000 | West Tenn    | Southern League AA |  19 |  3 | 1 | 1.34 |  9 |  9 |  60.1 |  39 |  43 | 21 | 0.99 | 6.4 |
| 2000 | Iowa Cubs    | Pacific Coast AAA  |  19 |  2 | 5 | 3.97 | 34 |  0 |  56.2 |  54 |  46 | 40 | 1.66 | 7.3 |
| 2001 | Iowa Cubs    | Pacific Coast AAA  |  20 | 10 | 5 | 3.88 | 26 | 25 | 150.2 | 124 | 155 | 68 | 1.27 | 9.3 |
| 2002 | Iowa Cubs    | Pacific Coast AAA  |  21 |  0 | 0 | 0.00 |  3 |  3 |   9.0 |   2 |  11 |  6 | 0.89 |11.0 | 
+------+--------------+--------------------+-----+----+---+------+----+----+-------+-----+-----+----+------+------+

MLB Stats

current as of May 23, 2007.

Season W L ERA G GS IP H K BB WHIP K/9
2001 1 2 15.26 6 1 7.2 11 4 8 2.48 5.0
2002 4 8 3.66 32 16 108.1 94 93 63 1.45 7.7
2003 13 11 3.11 32 32 214.0 188 168 94 1.32 7.1
2004 16 8 2.75 31 31 209.2 174 188 81 2.75 8.1
2005 14 6 3.26 33 33 223.1 170 202 86 1.15 8.1
2006 16 7 3.41 33 33 214.0 162 210 115 1.29 8.8
2007 4 4 5.61 10 10 61.0 62 43 31 1.52 6.3

2001 and 2002 seasons

First Start and Win

Zambrano was called up to the Cubs and pitched in his first game on August 20, 2001, starting against the Milwaukee Brewers at Wrigley Field in the second game of a double header. Carlos started the game well, retiring the first nine of the first ten batters faced. He ran into difficulties in the fourth inning, and was removed before getting any outs in the fifth. He was charged with seven earned runs, walked four batters, and threw just 74 pitches.[1]

One month later on September 20th, Zambrano gained his first big-league victory by finishing out the fifth inning against the Houston Astros. Carlos pitched just two thirds of an inning in relief of Juan Cruz, and was just twenty years old.[2] Zambrano did not have any additional starts in the season, and the Cubs finished in third place with a 88-74 record.

Full-time Starter

Carlos started the 2002 season with the AAA Iowa Cubs, but was quickly called up to the big-leagues. Upon arriving, he was dispatched to the bullpen, and pitched in sixteen games during the first three months of the season. On July 1, 2002, Zambrano started against the Florida Marlins taking the spot of Jason Bere in the rotation who had been struggling. Carlos logged sixteen starts for the Cubs, mixing in four wins with eight losses. At times he showed his immense potential, including eight innings of shutout ball against the Milwaukee Brewers on September 4th.[3] Carlos did struggle with his control, logging 63 walks in just over a hundred innings of work. The Cubs posted a disappointing 67-95 record for the season, finishing in fifth place.

2003 Season

NL Central Title and Playoffs

Carlos maintained his position in the Cubs starting rotation in 2003 and started 32 games with a 3.11 ERA and 13 wins in the fourth spot in the rotation, behind Mark Prior, Kerry Wood, and Matt Clement. The Cubs won the National League Central division, and were one win away from going to the World Series before being defeated by the Florida Marlins. The following year, Carlos improved his statistics by lowering his ERA to 2.75 and increasing his strikeout total to 188. His record was the best on the Cubs staff that year, compiling a 16-8 record.

No-Hit Bid

On August 22, 2003, Carlos started against Curt Schilling and the Arizona Diamondbacks. While Curt pitched a strong game and recorded 14 strikeouts, it was Zambrano that received the attention as he took a no-hitter into the eighth inning. Carlos got the first two batters out before Shea Hillenbrand broke up the no-hitter with an infield single down the third-base line. The play was very close at first, with TV replays indicating that the call may have been blown by first base umpire Bill Miller.[4] Carlos expressed some frustration after the game -

“ I was real, real sad about that play. Four more outs to throw a no-hitter ... I was really sad. I saw the play on the field and thought he was out. But he's human and anybody can make a mistake. ”

Miller held to his call after the game -

“ I had the play safe. I saw a replay -- it was a point where Randall made a great stretch, made a great play. I have to go with what I had on the field. ”

Carlos retired the next three batters (which would have been the final three outs) before giving up two more hits in the game. The previous no-hitter for the Cubs was thrown in 1972 by Milt Pappas.

NL Playoffs

Zambrano got his first post-season start on October 1st in Atlanta against the Braves in game two of the NLCS. He pitched 5.2 innngs, giving up eleven hits and three runs. The last hit by Rafael Furcal bounced off of Zambrano's leg, and he was removed from the game as a precaution.[5] The Cubs did come back to tie the game in the eighth inning, with Zambrano getting a no-decision. The Cubs won the series 3-2, with Carlos seeing no additional action.

Zambrano was the starter in the first game of the NLCS at Wrigley Field on October 7th. While the Cubs spotted him a first inning 4-0 lead, he was unable to hold it, giving up five earned runs in six innings, including three home runs in the top of the third inning. The Cubs did come back, with a dramatic two-run homerun by Sammy Sosa in the bottom of the ninth to tie the game. The Marlins did win the game in extra-innings 9-8. [6] Carlos got his third chance for a post-season victory as the starter in the fifth game in Miami. Once again, Zambrano wasn't sharp, giving up four walks, five hits, and two earned runs in just five innings, along with the loss. Josh Beckett for the Marlins had a magnificent outing, throwing a two-hitter sending the series back to Chicago.[7]

2004 Season

Dominance

On May 7th, Carlos had another fantastic start, throwing a two-hitter against the Colorado Rockies. Zambrano retired the first 14 batters he faced until giving up a single to Matt Holliday. Only 97 pitches were required on the afternoon for the victory, with Colorado managing to hit just four of them out of the infield on a breezy, cold day at Wrigley. Rockies Manager Clint Hurdle was duly impressed.

“ This kid is electric. He overpowered us today. There's no doubt about that. He had everything and threw everything where he wanted to throw it with velocity, with tilt, with sharpness.[8] ”

Carlos continued his brilliance in his next start against the Dodgers, stringing together an additional eight innings without giving up an earned run. Zambrano indicated his experience in the league was paying off.

“ I feel good. Everything is working. I'm more comfortable, more experienced, I know the league better. I just go out there and have fun.[9] ”

Through his first fourteen starts of the season, Carlos had posted an 8-2 record, with quality starts in twelve of the games. His early season performance also earned him his first trip to the All-Star game where he pitched one inning in relief.[10]

Cardinals Rivalry

Some of his most memorable starts have been against the rival St. Louis Cardinals. The first was on May 2nd, where he and Matt Morris threw shutout innings, and Carlos registered 12 strikeouts before being lifted in the 8th inning for a pinch hitter.

The next was on July 19th, where he and Jim Edmonds built upon the rivalry between two Midwestern teams. In the first inning, Edmonds was hit by a pitch to load the bases. In the fourth inning, Edmonds connected for a home run, and watched the ball go over the fence from home plate. An agitated Zambrano yelled at Edmonds as he crossed the plate, but the night was far from over. In his next at bat in the sixth inning, Carlos struck Edmonds out on three pitches, and wagged his finger at Edmonds on his way to the dugout. In the eighth inning with the score tied, Scott Rolen hit a two-out, two-run home run to break a 3-3 tie. Edmonds was the next batter, which Zambrano immediately hit with a pitch and was ejected from the game. Carlos indicated that it was not intentional.

“ I didn't try to hit him. I just tried to make my pitch and the ball went out of my hand[11] ”

He did clarfiy his prior comments to Edmunds

“ I just told him to run the bases and don't try to be cocky[12] ”

Scott Rolen wasn't convinced that was the case.

“ He's an emotional guy, but I don't believe what went on the field tonight outside of baseball deserves any words.[13] ”

Cardinals manager Tony LaRussa expressed similar sentiment.

“ I don't care what the rivalry is, what the circumstance is, what the standings are, you are not allowed to cross the line in this game and their pitcher crossed it twice. It was pretty clear.[14] ”

Strong Finish

Zambrano was awarded the NL Pitcher of the Month for September.[15] In his five starts during the month, Carlos posted a 4-0 record over 35.2 innings, giving up only four earned runs. It wasn't enough for the Cubs as they finished with a late season losing streak, and missed the playoffs.

2005 Season

Image:Carloszambrano1.jpg
Carlos Zambrano at Coors Field in 2004.

Top of the Rotation

With injuries to key starters, and Zambrano's improving game, Carlos began the new season as the opening day starter for the Cubs. Zambrano was cautious about the opportunity.

“ For me, mentally I'll prepare like a normal game, like I was the No. 4 starter. I just wanted to be focused for the game and not worry about anything else, not think about it being opening day.[16] ”

He was less cautious arguing balls and strikes with home plate umpire Dale Scott after being pulled in the fifth inning and earned an ejection.

“ I just said he needed glasses ”

Two starts later, Zambrano gave up one hit but left in the eighth inning after throwing 111 pitches. He had cramps at the beginning of the game that concerned some Cubs fans still wondering about the other starters.

“ It happens to me all the time. I have to drink more water. It has nothing to do with my elbow or shoulder.[17] ”

Continued Rivalry with Cardinals

Continuing to build on the rivalry with the Cardinals, Zambrano turned in good performances once again in '05. The first was on April 20th, facing Jeff Suppan in St. Louis. Zambrano gained the victory pitching within one out of a complete game and had his first career triple.[18] He returned to St. Louis again on July 22nd to face ace Chris Carpenter. Carlos turned in another excellent performance, striking out twelve and giving up only three hits over nine complete innings.

“ I was feeling great today, plus I like the matchup when I face Carpenter or (Matt) Morris. It's good to have Carpenter on the other side. Every time I come here I want to throw my best game and throw like I did today.[19] ”

St. Louis picked up the victory in extra innings on a David Eckstein squeeze play. The Cardinals made the trip to Chicago on August 12th, starting Jason Marquis against Carlos. Once again Zambrano gained the victory, this time pitching six shutout innings before leaving with tightness in his back[20] A final start against the rivals was completed on September 18th as a rematch with Carpenter, with similar results as Carlos pitched a complete game, giving up two earned runs and gaining the victory, his third of the season against the Cardinals. The final results for the four games - three victories, no defeats, four earned runs, and averaging over eight innings a start.

Internet Elbow

Carlos had a strange injury surface early in the season that was first diagnosed as "tennis elbow"[21] but was later traced to his use of the internet to stay in contact with relatives in Venezuela.

“ I've been on the computer a lot. They say that's the cause of the soreness in my elbow. I'll be in control. I spent four hours. Now, I'll have to spend one hour and take it easy.[22] ”

Cubs Manager Dusty Baker was nervous with his ace risking his limbs on the computer, and penned this observation.

“ The thing I've seen about people on the computer and the Internet is that it's addicting. We told him not to get on it, and you turn around and he's on the computer. ”

Battle of the Zambranos

August 7 - In just the fourth meeting of pitchers with the same last name since 2000, Víctor Zambrano of the New York Mets outdueled Carlos Zambrano in front of 40,321 fans at Shea Stadium, pitching the New York Mets to a 6-1 win and a sweep of the three-game series. Both Zambranos entered with 42 career wins, the second time in major league history that opposing starters with the same last name came in with matching victory totals, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. The other was on June 15, 1944, when Red Barrett of the Boston Braves and Dick Barrett of the Philadelphia Phillies each had 19 career wins. Like the Barretts, Víctor and Carlos obviously share a double feat, but the similarities don't end there. The Zambranos were born in Venezuela, both throw with their right arm, both switch hit, and both wear No. 38. Beside this, it was the fourth time in modern major league history that starting pitchers with a last name beginning with Z faced each other, according to ESPN. Víctor and Carlos Zambrano have both faced Barry Zito of the San Francisco Giants.

Excellent Statistics

Zambrano had an excellent year hitting, with a .300 batting average and one home run. Zambrano finished the season sixth in the National League in strikeouts (202), tenth in earned run average (3.26), and third in winning percentage (70%, with a record of 14-6), seventh in WHIP (1.15), tenth in strikeouts per nine innings (8.14), and ninth in innings pitched (223 1/3).

2006 season

Opening Day

For the second consecutive season, Zambrano was the Cubs opening day starter, and with similar results from the previous year. Carlos was wild, giving up five walks, and five earned runs without getting through the fifth inning. The Cubs did score runs posting 16 in the victory. [23]

Poor Early Run Support

After a poor opening game, the Cubs did not give Zambrano much offensive support in his next six starts, providing less than two runs a game. This led to Carlos going winless until May 10th, even though he pitched four quality starts in his first seven.

No Hit Attempt

On June 5th, Zambrano made another bid for a no-hitter against the Astros in Houston. Zambrano had a perfect game go one out into the eighth inning before Preston Wilson hit a single.

“ I made one mistake today and I did pay for it. It cost me the no-no[24] ”

In addition to an excellent pitching performance, Zambrano hit a three-run homerun in the second inning, his first of the season.

All Star Game

Carlos Zambrano went to his second All-Star Game during the 2006 season. He was slated to pitch two innings in the game, however, he had to sit out the game after suffering a minor injury when he was accidentally hit by White Sox third base coach Joey Cora's fungo bat during pre-game warmups.

Mid-Summer Dominance

Zambrano peaked during the month of July, posting a perfect 6-0 record for the month, the first time a Cubs pitcher had recorded as many victories since 1979 when Rick Reuschel recorded seven in a month. He also was a start at the plate, hitting two home runs during the six games. Included in the month was a two-hit, ten strikeout, eight inning, 123 pitch performance against the Astros. After the game, Zambrano likened his style to driving in his native Venezuela.

“ When you drive a car, when you're the driver, you know what to do. When you go 100 mph in Venezuela, you know what to do. The people in the passenger seat can be scared, but the guy driving the car is not scared. It's the same way on the mound.[25] ”

Carlos finished out the month with a 6-3 victory over the arch-rival Cardinals, where he bested Chris Carpenter. While the Cubs were far out of contention for a playoff spot, Zambrano showed a positive attitude.

“ I am one of the guys that thinks you never have to give up. When you have that 'X' that says you're eliminated, then you give up. Not anybody in the league, not Kansas City, not Pittsburgh, has that 'X' that says they are eliminated. We're still fighting for something. We still have a chance to do a lot of things.[26] ”

Carlos was rewarded with his second National League Pitcher of the Month award for his July efforts.

Wildness did impact Zambrano's ability to throw complete games based on the number of pitches required to get deep into the game. On August 14th, he pitched an excellent game, shutting out the Astros through eight innings on just four hits, but he also gave up seven walks, hit a batter, and recorded a wild pitch. He also needed 121 pitches to get through eight innings, and was replaced by closer Ryan Dempster in the ninth to finish the game. Carlos did not show much concern over his propensity to give the opposition a few free baserunners.

“ If you walk somebody, you just have to get the next hitter out. You can't be frustrated about walks or who is on base. If you've got good stuff that night, you're good enough to get the next hitter out.[27] ”

Late Season Injury

In his 30th start of the season on September 4th, Carlos suffered a setback leaving the game early in the second inning with lower back stiffness, but an MRI indicated no significant disc injuries. Carlos gave up four hits and four walks before leaving in the shortest start in his career.

“ I couldn't throw today. I couldn't bend today, and as a pitcher, you have to bend as much as possible to get the strike zone and to get your command. If you throw straight, you let your pitches go high and that's what happened today.[28] ”

Zambrano avoided a trip to the disabled list, but was skipped in his next two starts - pitching again on September 17th against the Reds. Cub fans were relieved to see him pitch seven scoreless innings, and not showing any signs of the injury from his previous outing.[29]

Cubs Only Ace

He finished the 2006 season 16-7 with a 3.41 ERA and 8.83 strikeouts per 9 innings. He gave up a major-league-worst 4.84 walks per 9 innings.[30] Despite the Cubs' generally miserable season, finishing with the worst record in the National League, 2006 was a transformative year for Zambrano, as he thrived under the pressure of assuming the number-one role in the Cubs' rotation as the former aces apparent, Mark Prior and Kerry Wood, were incapacitated for the vast majority of the season. Zambrano, despite still being occasionally prone to letting a bad start get away from him, developed from an emotional fireballer to a more mature and calculating pitcher who gained greater placement and movement on his breaking pitches while retaining his devastating two-seam and four-seam fastballs, the latter often showing that most unhittable combination of 98 mph heat and unexpected movement. Zambrano has always been well-known for his displays of emotion: he rises and falls with the ups and downs of the game, unable or unwilling to hide exuberance after a key out or great frustration after failure. This unsuppressed emotionality has sometimes been called a weakness, and at times in 2006 it appeared to many fans that Zambrano was consciously attempting to tamp his emotions down. However, Zambrano's apparent experiment failed quickly, as his least emotional starts were rarely the most dominating. Furthermore, Zambrano's indulgence of his emotion not only seemed to have a net positive effect on his performance, but endeared him to fans and made him today indisputably the Cubs' fan favorite by a wide margin. Always popular and an exciting pitcher, it was arguably not until 2006 that Cubs fans collectively accepted that both Prior and Wood were unlikely to overcome their injuries, and Zambrano's combination of intimidating attitude and performance made him the team's top draw and only truly indispensable player.

Run at Cy Young Award

Zambrano's ERA of 3.41, while quite good in any circumstance, was inflated by a couple of quick exits in the beginning of the season and a somewhat less effective final few starts, possibly due to running up relatively high pitch counts throughout the season. During the middle months of the season, Zambrano was generally dominant, and established himself as one of the National League's top pitchers. He was often mentioned as a Cy Young candidate, although the Cubs' last-place finish made wins hard to come by. Despite getting no-decisions or losses towards the end of the season, his 16-7 record was still noteworthy for a weak-hitting, 66-win team. He also registered 210 strikeouts and a .207 batting average against; both led the National League. His summer streak earned him the National League Pitcher of the Month award for the month of July.

Silver Slugger Award

Adding to Zambrano's reputation as a formidable player is his ability as a hitter. Zambrano's batting average had previously been relatively high for a pitcher, averaging in the .230s and even reaching .300 in 2005, in 80 at bats (a full season for a pitcher). In 2006, however, Zambrano apparently decided to forgo the traditional sacrifice bunts and slap-singles that are the only option for most NL pitchers, and test his skills at swinging away. While Zambrano's batting average dipped to a more pitcher-like .151 (although this figure was higher at many times during the season), Zambrano's new ability to hit home runs more than made up for the loss of batting average. It established him as a rare and valuable commodity in the National League, where most teams are forced to watch many a rally die due to an automatic out every nine batters. Despite his low batting average, Zambrano's 12 AB/HR ratio is around that of top power hitters (it would translate to 49-50 home runs in 600 ABs, although the need to raise batting average would reduce power). Zambrano finished the season with six home runs as a batter, the most by a pitcher in a season since Mike Hampton of the Colorado Rockies hit seven in 2001, and not far from the all-time mark of nine (excluding Babe Ruth), set by Wes Ferrell in 1931. His hitting prowess led then-Cubs manager Dusty Baker to take the very rare step of using him as a pinch-hitter four times during the 2006 season. Unfortunately, he went 0-4 with 2 strikeouts. Still, Zambrano's dangerous hitting earned him a Silver Slugger award. He avoided arbitration with the Cubs by agreeing to a one year, $12.4 million dollar deal.

2007 Season

Contract Negotiation

Based on his tenure with the MLB, Carlos is eligible for arbitration at the end of the 2007 season. Originally, Zambrano indicated he needed to have a new contract signed before the start of the season, but it appeared that a deal was almost in place, so his agent extended the deadline to go into the season. Rumors are that he is looking at a five-year, $80 million contract inline with that of Barry Zito. [31]

Pre-season Excitement

After his last start of the 2006 season where the Cubs dropped to thirty games below .500, Carlos identified some of the gaps to be filled for the following season.

“ We need one or two more pitchers. We'll see. I always said that any team can be good with two or three good pitchers. The best example is the Atlanta Braves with Maddux, Smoltz and Glavine back in the day.[32] ”

The Cubs management must have been listening as they added Ted Lilly and Jason Marquis in the offseason as part of a $300 millon spending spree. After the acquisitions, Carlos speculated on the fortunes for the 2007 season, declaring that he was to win the Cy Young Award and the Cubs would win the world series.

“ I believe this year, I can win the Cy Young, and besides that, we will win the World Series. I guarantee that. I have faith in that.[33] ”

Slow Start

Unfortunately, Zambrano and the Cubs start to the season was anything but predicted. In Zambrano's first five starts, only one was a quality start with Carlos posting a 6.91 ERA with 19 walks and 7 home runs allowed in just 28.1 innings. The Cubs did not fare much better, posting a 10-14 record in April. Zambrano did keep the start of the season interesting by contrasting the hitting capabilities of two of their division foes.

“ I don't say that the Milwaukee Brewers are nothing, but I think the offense of the Cincinnati Reds (is) better. There's no making mistakes when pitching against Cincinnati. When you make a mistake against them, you pay for it. When you make a mistake against Milwaukee, sometimes they miss it and that's good.[34] ”

Oddly enough, it was the Milwaukee Brewers that were leading the Central division after the first month rather than the Cubs or the Reds.

After a difficult game in Cincinnati where they blew a big early lead, Cubs manager Lou Piniella began to show a little frustration on the inconsistency being shown early in the season by Big-Z and the team.

“ This guy is your ace, you got a 5-0 lead with the eighth and ninth hitters coming up, you feel pretty good about that inning and all of a sudden it turns into a six-run inning.[35] ”

Zambrano was questioned about his spring training comments after a rough first month, but he downplayed the slow start.

“ I don't think about that. I will think about that when I have the trophy in my hands. I just said that in spring training, and I'll just let it happen. You can see [Johan] Santana has like a four-something earned-run average. That's not Santana. At the end of the season, you'll see what Santana is capable of doing.[36] ”

One of the causes for his statistics being less than in previous years is Carlos' difficulties in the first inning. After giving up three first-inning runs in a loss on May 10th, Zambrano described the challenge as follows.

“ In the first inning, there is always something wrong. I hit somebody, I walk somebody, there's a blooper. But that's part of the game. You have to be able to control yourself and make good pitches to get yourself out of trouble.[37] ”

Zambrano made some changes in his delivery with Cubs pitching coach Larry Rothschild and turned in a stellar performance in New York yielding only one run while providing eight strong innings.

“ The best I felt as far as command and throwing the ball anywhere. I’ve been working in the bullpen with Larry. Hopefully, this can be the start of a good streak.[38] ”

In his next start, Zambrano faced the cross-town rival White Sox at Wrigley. Carlos didn't get much support as Alfonso Soriano misplayed a foul ball in the second inning, extending the inning by an out which cost two runs, and Neal Cotts in the bullpen gave up a grand-slam in the seventh inning with two outs which charged back three addition runs. The official statistics looked poor as he was charged with seven earned runs, however it wasn't as poor of an outing as the box score recorded.[39]

2007 Game Log

Stats as of May 22, 2007

Date Opponent Result IP H R ER HR BB SO Pitches Decision ERA
April 2 @CIN L (1-5) 5.0 6 5 5 2 5 2 92-45 L (0-1) 9.00
April 7 @MIL W (6-3) 7.0 5 3 3 2 2 6 109-67 W (1-1) 6.00
April 13 CIN L (5-6) 4.0 6 6 6 0 4 2 87-52 L (1-2) 7.88
April 18 @ATL L (6-8) 6.0 8 5 5 2 5 6 113-64 *ND* 7.77
April 23 MIL L (4-5) 5.1 5 2 2 1 3 7 103-62 *ND* 6.91
April 28 @STL W (8-1) 7.0 7 1 1 1 0 2 112-72 W (2-2) 5.77
May 4 WAS W (6-4) 6.0 6 4 4 1 3 4 104-64 W (3-2) 5.80
May 10 PIT L (4-6) 6.0 7 6 4 2 1 6 116-75 L (3-3) 5.83
May 15 @NYM W (10-1) 8.0 3 1 1 1 3 3 116-74 W (4-3) 5.13
May 20 CHA L (6-10) 6.2 6 7 7 1 4 5 117-72 L (4-4) 5.61


Going Deeper

Things You Do NOT Do to Carlos Zambrano

This is a comprehensive, but by no means exhaustive, list of things to avoid. Previously appeared in Goat Riders of the Apocalypse

With regards to the morons who decided to jack with the Iron Shef (former Yankee) in Fenway, I realized just how lucky they were that security rushed in as quickly as they had. I also realized how lucky they were, that they weren't f-ing with Big Z:

Don't do these things to Big Z:

- Do NOT reach over the wall, to take a swipe at his face

- Do NOT dig in at the plate

- Do NOT go out to take him out of the game, when his pitch count is less than 110

- Do NOT drink his last beer out of his fridge

- Do NOT ask his sister out on a date

- Do NOT show him up by sauntering around the bases after a home run

- Do NOT bunt on him to break up his no-hitter

- Do NOT tell him that his mama's so fat, she leaves bathtub rings in the Panama Canal

- Do NOT call him a Mexican

- Do NOT lean on his car in the players' lot

- Do NOT change the channel when he is watching "Las Mas Calientes"...that Maria Lourdes is muy caliente indeed

- Do NOT, under any circumstances, flip him off or scream 'F&@# YOU' in his face

- Do NOT drink JoBu's rum or eat his chicken

- Do NOT whistle at his wife, and declare that you want to 'polish HER rims'

- Do NOT look back at where Hank White is holding his glove

- Do NOT insist that he wear the home whites or away grays when he is pitching (Not even YOU, John McDonough)

- Do NOT call him 'Wilson Alvarez'

- Do NOT steal a base on him when you are up by nine runs

- In fact, Do NOT get up by nine runs on him...you're likely to start chewing horsehide

- Finally, if you learn nothing else today about the Do's and Dont's of Carlos Zambrano, Do NOT try to rub holy water on him. He loved Papa Juan Pablo Dos, and he always though that Dusty was somehow besmirching his holy name by shaking that damn water everywhere he goes.

See also

References

  1. ↑ http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/CHN/CHN200108202.shtml
  2. ↑ http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/HOU/HOU200109210.shtml
  3. ↑ http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/CHN/CHN200209040.shtml
  4. ↑ http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/recap?gid=230822129
  5. ↑ http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/recap?gid=231001115
  6. ↑ http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/recap?gid=231007116
  7. ↑ http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/recap?gid=231012128
  8. ↑ http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/recap?gid=240507116
  9. ↑ http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/recap?gid=240513119
  10. ↑ http://www.baseball-almanac.com/asgbox/07132004.shtml
  11. ↑ http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/recap?gid=240719116
  12. ↑ http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/recap?gid=240719116
  13. ↑ http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/recap?gid=240719116
  14. ↑ http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/recap?gid=240719116
  15. ↑ http://www.baseball-almanac.com/awards/pitcher_of_the_month_award.shtml
  16. ↑ http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/preview?gid=250404129
  17. ↑ http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/recap?gid=250409116
  18. ↑ http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/recap?gid=250420124
  19. ↑ http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/recap?gid=250722124
  20. ↑ http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/recap?gid=250812116
  21. ↑ http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/recap?gid=250514120
  22. ↑ http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20050522&content_id=1058873&vkey=news_chc&fext=.jsp&c_id=chc
  23. ↑ http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/recap?gid=260403117
  24. ↑ http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/recap?gid=260605118
  25. ↑ http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/recap?gid=260720116
  26. ↑ http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/recap?gid=260730116
  27. ↑ http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/recap?gid=260814118
  28. ↑ http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/recap?gid=260904116
  29. ↑ http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/recap?gid=260917116
  30. ↑ http://www.fangraphs.com/leaders.aspx?pos=all&stats=pit&lg=all&qual=y&type=1&season=2006
  31. ↑ http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20070401&content_id=1873621&vkey=news_chc&fext=.jsp&c_id=chc
  32. ↑ http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/recap?gid=260929116
  33. ↑ http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20070302&content_id=1824086&vkey=spt2007news&fext=.jsp&c_id=chc
  34. ↑ http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/recap?gid=270407108
  35. ↑ http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/recap?gid=270413116
  36. ↑ http://chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/cs-070428cubsgamer,1,5520199.story?coll=cs-cubs-headlines
  37. ↑ http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/recap?gid=270510116
  38. ↑ http://www.dailyherald.com/sports/cubs.asp?id=313120
  39. ↑ http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/recap?gid=270520116

External links

2003 National League Central Champion Chicago Cubs
  Starting Lineup: 1. Kenny Lofton CF | 2. Mark Grudzielanek 2B | 3. Sammy Sosa RF | 4. Moises Alou LF | 5. Aramis Ramirez 3B | 6. Eric Karros/Randall Simon 1B | 7. Alex Gonzalez SS | 8. Damian Miller C  

 Starting Pitchers: Mark Prior | Kerry Wood | Carlos Zambrano | Matt Clement | Shawn Estes  
 Bullpen: Joe Borowski | Mike Remlinger | Kyle Farnsworth | Antonio Alfonseca | Mark Guthrie | Dave Veres | Juan Cruz | Todd Wellemeyer 
 Role Players: Corey Patterson | Ramon Martinez | Hee-Seop Choi | Paul Bako | Troy O'Leary | Tom Goodwin | Doug Glanville | Tony Womack 
 Manager: Dusty Baker, Coaches: Dick Pole | Wendell Kim | Gary Matthews, Sr. | Gene Clines | Larry Rothschild | Juan Lopez
2007 National League Central Champion Chicago Cubs
  Starting Lineup: 1. Alfonso Soriano LF | 2. Ryan Theriot SS | 3. Derrek Lee 1B | 4. Aramis Ramirez 3B | 5. Cliff Floyd/Matt Murton RF | 6. Mark DeRosa 2B | 7. Jacque Jones CF | 8. Jason Kendall/Geovany Soto C  

 Starting Pitchers: Carlos Zambrano | Ted Lilly | Rich Hill | Jason Marquis | Sean Marshall | Steve Trachsel  
 Bullpen: Ryan Dempster | Bobby Howry | Scott Eyre | Kerry Wood | Carlos Marmol | Michael Wuertz | Will Ohman 
 Role Players: Daryle Ward | Mike Fontenot | Craig Monroe | Ronnie Cedeno | Henry Blanco | Felix Pie 
 Manager: Lou Piniella, Coaches: Alan Trammell | Mike Quade | Matt Sinatro | Gerald Perry | Larry Rothschild | Lester Strode | Ivan DeJesus


v • d • e
2007 Chicago Cubs Starting Rotation

Carlos Zambrano • Ted Lilly • Jason Marquis • Rich Hill • Sean Marshall

Al Yellon's | 100 Greatest Players in Chicago Cubs History

100. Ivan DeJesús | 99. Rick Wilkins | 98. Heinie Zimmerman | 97. Bill Lange | 96. Dennis Eckersley | 95. Mitch Williams | 94. Bob Rush | 93. George Altman | 92. Jerry Morales | 91. Walt "Moose" Moryn | 90. Jimmy Archer | 89. Milt Pappas | 88. Ted Abernathy | 87. Randy Myers | 86. Jose Cardenal | 85. Jack Taylor | 84. Hank Borowy | 83. Guy Bush | 82. Jim Hickman | 81. Bill Hands | 80. Dick Ellsworth | 79. Joe Girardi | 78. Manny Trillo | 77. Riggs Stephenson | 76. Jimmy Sheckard | 75. Rogers Hornsby | 74. Dave Kingman | 73. Derrek Lee | 72. Ned Williamson | 71. Ron Cey | 70. Harry Steinfeldt | 69. Phil Regan | 68. Shawon Dunston | 67. Pat Malone | 66. Glenn Beckert | 65. Johnny Kling | 64. Kerry Wood | 63. Randy Hundley | 62. Leon Durham | 61. Larry French | 60. Keith Moreland | 59. Carlos Zambrano | 58. Gary Matthews, Sr. | 57. Bill Madlock | 56. Aramis Ramirez | 55. Fred Pfeffer | 54. Bruce Sutter | 53. Jody Davis | 52. Bill Nicholson | 51. Ken Holtzman | 50. Lon Warneke | 49. Clark Griffith | 48. George Gore | 47. Frank Demaree | 46. Woody English | 45. Bill Lee | 44. Augie Galan | 43. Don Kessinger | 42. Billy Jurges | 41. Mike "King" Kelly | 40. Jack Pfiester | 39. Larry Corcoran | 38. Rick Sutcliffe | 37. Claude Passeau | 36. Lee Smith | 35. Bill Buckner | 34. Orval Overall | 33. Frank "Wildfire" Schulte | 32. Johnny Evers | 31. Rick Reuschel | 30. Rick Monday | 29. Andy Pafko | 28. Charlie Grimm | 27. Joe Tinker | 26. Andre Dawson | 25. Jim "Hippo" Vaughn | 24. Grover Cleveland "Pete" Alexander | 23. Hank Sauer | 22. Hack Wilson | 21. Kiki Cuyler | 20. John Clarkson | 19. Bill Dahlen | 18. Greg Maddux | 17. Ed Reulbach | 16. Mark Grace | 15. Frank Chance | 14. Charlie Root | 13. Jimmy Ryan | 12. Stan Hack | 11. Phil Cavarretta | 10. Billy Herman | 9. Fergie Jenkins | 8. Mordecai Brown | 7. Ron Santo | 6. Gabby Hartnett | 5. Billy Williams | 4. Ryne Sandberg | 3. Sammy Sosa | 2. Adrian "Cap" Anson | 1. Ernie Banks
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